The main geographic feature of Rajasthan is the Aravalli
Range, which runs through the state from southwest to northeast,
almost from one end to another end for more than 850 km. Mount
Abu is at the southwestern end of the range, separated from
the main ranges by the West Banas River, although a series
of broken ridges continues into Haryana in the direction of
Delhi where it could be seen as outcrops in the form of the
Raisina Hill and the ridges further north. About three-fifths
of Rajasthan lies northwest of the Aravallis, leaving two-fifths
on the east and south.
The northwestern portion of Rajasthan is generally
sandy and dry, and most of the region is covered by the
Thar Desert, which extends into adjoining portions of Pakistan.
The Aravalli Range intercepts the moisture-giving southwest
monsoon winds off the Arabian Sea, leaving the northwestern
region in a rain shadow.
The Thar Desert is thinly populated, and the town of Bikaner
is the largest city in the desert. The Northwestern thorn
scrub forests lie in a band around the Thar Desert, between
the desert and the Aravallis. This region receives less
than 400 mm of rain in an average year, and summer temperatures
can exceed 45º C in the summer months, and drop below
freezing in the winter. The Godwar, Marwar, and Shekhawati
regions lie in the thorn scrub forest zone, along with the
city of Jodhpur.
The Luni River and its tributaries are the major river system
of Godwar and Marwar regions, draining the western slopes
of the Aravallis and emptying southwest into the great Rann
of Kutch wetland in neighboring Gujarat. This river is saline
in the lower reaches and remains potable only up to Balotara
in Barmer district. The Ghaggar River, which originates
in Haryana, is an intermittent stream that disappears into
the sands of the Thar Desert in the northern corner of the
state and is seen as a remnant of the primitive Saraswati
river.
The Aravalli Range and the lands to the east and southeast
of the range are generally more fertile and better watered.
This region is home to the Kathiarbar-Gir dry deciduous
forests ecoregion, with tropical dry broadleaf forests that
include teak, Acacia, and other trees. The hilly Vagad region
lies in southernmost Rajasthan, on the border with Gujarat.
With the exception of Mount Abu, Vagad is the wettest region
in Rajasthan, and the most heavily forested. North of Vagad
lies the Mewar region, home to the cities of Udaipur and
Chittaurgarh. The Hadoti region lies to the southeast, on
the border with Madhya Pradesh. North of Hadoti and Mewar
is the Dhundhar region, home to the state capital of Jaipur.
Mewat, the easternmost region of Rajasthan, borders Haryana
and Uttar Pradesh. Eastern and southeastern Rajasthan is
drained by the Banas and Chambal rivers, tributaries of
the Ganges.
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